Repeating History
by MichGirl07
Summary: It is eighteen years later and the newest Weasley/Potter bunch are in a world of trouble. A sequel to The Unexpected Seventh Year (but can stand alone), Teddy and James are following in Harry and Ginny's footsteps and not in a good way. Freddie is hiding something. Follow them through danger, disappointment, and relationships as they try to live up to their futures and family.
1. Prologue: September 1st

**A/N: Hi!**

**So here is the beginning of the long awaited sequel to The Unexpected Seventh Year. If you haven't read it, don't worry - I'll tell you everything you should need to know but if you're interested, check out my profile page. If you have read it, skip to the next paragraph :) Generally, this story is about Teddy and James just as they become adults and in my universe, James is only a year younger than Teddy (Ginny got pregnant not long after the war ended). Also, Teddy was formally adopted by Harry since Andromeda was injured in a Death Eater attack. **

**The prologue of this story is my way of meshing my story and the changes that I made from canon with Rowling's story(nothing major, just really the ages of some of the next generation and the changes are really only made if you consider what has been said by Rowling outside of the books). I did have to make this occur 18 years later instead of 19 years later for it to work out. Nothing major happens in the prologue but I promise, I have big plans for this story.**

**And a big thanks to J.K. Rowling for creating this universe and for allowing us to play in her sandbox, so to speak. If you recognize it, it belongs to her but I certainly have had fun messing around with her characters!**

**Hopefully this lives up to your expectations! Let me know.**

* * *

**Prologue**

**September 1st**

**x-X-x**

The first morning of September dawned over the Potter household, cold and crisp. Change was in the air as the family rushed about, stuffing owls into cages, clothing into trunks, and food into mouths. With no time to waste, trunks were loaded into the boot of the car and the three kids and two parents crammed themselves into the car for the drive to King's Cross.

Glancing quickly at the clock, the family loaded the trolleys with the trunks and cages and rushed into the station. In front, Ginny Potter led her youngest son to the barrier between platforms 9 and 10, pushing his trolley along the way and whispering furiously as the young boy argued back. Behind them, Harry Potter held his daughter's hand as tears ran down her face and he softly sought to soothe her.

Trailing behind the group, pushing his own trolley, James Potter rolled his eyes at his younger siblings. James was about to enter his seventh year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and he simply did not know how he was going to put up with his younger brother, Albus, starting as a measly first year. Maybe if their older brother Teddy was still around but he had graduated last year, leaving James all alone.

"I won't! I won't be a Slytherin!" Albus yelled suddenly.

Annoyed, Ginny glanced back. "James, I don't know why you and Teddy put this in his head. I had hoped you would be more mature than to work your brother up like this."

"I only said he might be," James said, grinning at his younger brother. "There's nothing wrong with that. He might be in Slytherin."

Ginny sent a glare that would have made Molly Weasley proud, effectively silencing the raven haired teen. Figuring it was safer to get out of dodge, James shifted his grip on his trolley and pushed ahead of his family, throwing a grin at his brother before pushing through the barrier and onto Platform 9¾. The last thing he heard before he disappeared into the brick was his father saying, "Let him go, Gin."

Once on the platform, James went off in search for his older brother, whom he knew was coming to see his girlfriend off. Not seeing his characteristic blue hair on the crowded platform, James lugged his trunk onto the train, stowing it in an empty compartment before heading back to the corridor to find Teddy and Victoire. Near the end of the train, he found them tucked into the corner of a compartment in a heated snogging session.

"Bloody hell, guys! My poor, innocent eyes!" James said as he threw open the door.

Teddy and Victoire broke apart, both sending a cold glare at James.

"The day you have innocent eyes is the day we go out without someone asking for Dad's autograph – as in, never. And nobody asked you to interrupt, Jay."

"The other option was to stay with the fam and that wasn't going to happen. Al was having some kind of fit about the Sorting."

"Be nice, James. If I remember correctly, you were pretty nervous our first year and kept bugging Teddy for inside information," Victoire said as she straightened her hair from where Teddy had been running his hands through it. "Now, if you don't mind, I was saying goodbye to my boyfriend, who I won't get to see for weeks, and that is only if he can get off work for the first Hogsmeade weekend –"

"I'm trying. I'm trying," Teddy interrupted. Victoire just ignored him.

"So why don't you be a good little boy and scamper."

James looked back and forth between Teddy and Victoire. "I can't decide if I should go into protective brother or cousin mode so I'll just say don't do anything I wouldn't do." With an evil grin. He whipped around and left.

As he shut the door he heard Teddy call out, "That doesn't exclude much!"

James headed back out to the platform. His parents had found his Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione and the younger Potters were both whispering with Rose and Hugo. Smiling, he bound towards his family.

"Hey. Teddy's back there," he said, pointing back over his shoulder into the billowing clouds of steam. "Just seen him. And guess what he's doing," he asked in a dry tone, as if it was obvious, because it was. Teddy and Victoire were a legend among the Weasley-Potter families. "Snogging Victoire."

"You interrupted them?" his mum asked. "You are so like Ron – "

"He told me to go away," James added helpfully.

"Oh, it would be so lovely if they got married!" whispered Lily ecstatically.

"He and Victoire could live in our room and I could move in with Al." James suggested.

"No," Harry said firmly, "you and Al will share a room only when I want the house demolished. Frankly, I have no idea how you and Teddy didn't destroy it but I'm not taking any more chances."

Harry checked the watch that James knew had once belonged to Fabian Prewett, his grandmum's bother.

"It's nearly eleven, you'd better get on board."

"Don't forget to give Neville our love!" Ginny told James as she hugged him.

"Mum!" James said in exasperation. "I can't give a professor love."

"But you know Neville –"

James rolled his eyes. "Yeah, but at school he's Professor Longbottom, isn't he? I can't walk into Herbology and give him love." James smirked and gave his mother a peck on her cheek. "Just joking. I'll pass the message along." Aiming a kick at Albus, he said, "See you later, Al. Watch out for thestrals."

"I thought they were invisible? You said they were invisible!"

James smiled back at his brother before giving his dad a quick hug and climbing onto the train. He headed to the compartment were he had left his trunk and found it still empty. Figuring his friends would find him, he pulled out his pack of Exploding Snap and set about building a mini-Hogwarts out of cards.

It was only five minutes into his final year at Hogwarts but James knew the coming year was going to be great!


	2. Chapter 1: A New Year

**A/N: Sorry about the long wait since I posted the prologue. I'm trying to get a grant together, finalize a conference presentation, and prepare my dissertation proposal. In other words, it is going to be a LONG semester. Don't worry, though. This story isn't going any where. I have to have something to keep me sane amongst all that craziness :)**

**Review! Let me know what you think of this newest story. Remember, the timeline is off a bit from canon. Also, I make mention of some stuff that happened in my previous story in this series, The Unexpected Seventh Year, so if you haven't read that and you don't know what is going on, that's probably why.**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

**A New Year**

**x-X-x**

Freddie burst through the barrier of Platform 9¾ and shot a fleeting glance at the clock. The second hand ticked closer and closer to the twelve. Putting on a burst of speed, he pushed his way through the crowd and leapt onto the train, just managing to grab onto the handle to prevent himself from falling back onto the platform as the train jerked and began to move.

"Frederick Weasley!"

His mother's voice boomed over the sound of the train. His parents stood at the edge of the platform, having dropped his sister Roxy off for her fourth year at Hogwarts. He saluted them with his free hand as the train picked up speed and pulled out of the station.

Once the platform was no longer visible, Freddie released a breath he didn't even realize he had been holding and turned and went in search of his friends. Still sweating from his race through Kings Cross, he pulled his sleeve across his forehead as he glanced into the compartments. After walking through two cars, Fred glanced in a compartment and smiled before pulling open the door.

"Freddie!" a sandy-haired boy yelled, causing the exploding snap pile in the middle of the compartment to explode, coating the five occupants in soot.

"Nice one, Owen," Freddie said, a smile spreading across his face as he looked at his friends before pulling his trunk out of his rucksack and expanding it back to its full size. He stowed it before dropping into the last open seat.

"James was creaming me anyway," Owen responded with a shrug.

"We wondered if you'd missed the train," James said while Victoire pulled out her wand and muttered a cleaning spell, causing the mess to disappear and the deck of cards to restack itself in the center of the compartment.

"Yeah, maybe I shouldn't have assured my parents I could get myself to the station. Almost overslept. Thank Merlin I passed my apparition test last month."

"Really, Fred," the girl tucked away in the corner muttered. "Why you would ever think you could make it on time by yourself, I will never know."

"Shut it, Mandie. You know you would have been just as late as me if you hadn't come with your parents."

Mandie grinned as she began sweeping her auburn hair into a loose ponytail. "Duh. But I wasn't dumb enough to pretend otherwise. My parents had to bring my brothers anyway so I happily let them bring me too."

"Honestly, none of you have room to talk. I think you would all be late to every class if Victoire and I didn't drag your arses there everyday for the last six years," said the petite, curly-haired blond sitting across from Fred.

Fred simply stuck his tongue out in response.

"Very mature, Fred," Victoire said. "No one would ever know you were an adult."

In response to this, Fred turned his tongue on his cousin.

"Hmmph. Maybe Sara and I will just let you miss classes. It would serve you right."

"Eh, you wouldn't do that to your dear old cousin, would you?" Fred said with an innocent smile.

"Don't tempt me," Victoire muttered, turning her attention back to the book in her lap.

**x-X-x**

While the train headed north with the six friends enjoying their last few hours of summer, back in London, Teddy was trudging down the hallway at St. Mungo's, heading towards the Trainee Room. He missed Victoire already and was planning to throw himself into work, hoping to make the next ten months go faster.

"Hey Teddy," Bradford, one of the two other trainees in his cohort, said as Teddy entered the room and headed over to his locker. "You're late."

"Hicks gave me the okay. My girlfriend went back to Hogwarts today."

"Bummer. But, seriously, one day, you are going to have to tell me how you got Hicks to give you the morning off. I swear she hates me."

"It's my abundant charm, what can I say," Teddy said, throwing a grin over his shoulder as he shrugged out of his outer robes. Really, Teddy didn't know how he had gotten the morning off. The trainee program at St. Mungo's was extremely difficult to get into and extremely demanding.

Teddy had been thrilled when his N.E.W.T. results had arrived near the end of July. He had been tentatively accepted into the healer trainee program during the final months of his seventh year but he hadn't been able to get excited about it until he saw his scores and realized his life-long dream of being a healer was going to finally come true.

Teddy could still remember the moment when he first decided he was going to become a healer. He was just seven years old and his dad had brought him to visit his Grandmum in the Janus Thickey ward. He had just been told the true story about what had happened to his Grandmum, Harry having finally decided he was old enough after Teddy had heard a story about it from his friends at school.

Growing up in Godric's Hollow with its large wizarding community, where his mum and dad had moved them when Teddy was three, he grew up with a large mix of wizarding and muggle friends and thus heard many stories about the "Great Harry Potter" and his adventures. When he had realized the stories were about his dad and that the story about his dad rescuing his godson was about himself, he had confronted Harry. Reluctantly, Harry had sat the small boy down and gently told him about the kidnapping and how his Grandmum's brain had been injured.

When Teddy had asked if they could visit her, Harry had quickly agreed and the two of them had taken a floo to St. Mungo's. After spending over an hour with Andromeda Tonks, who had finally begun recognizing Teddy when he was almost five years old after years of being semi-catatonic but still, two years later, could barely communicate with her grandson or his godfather, Teddy's young mind had been made up. When they walked out of the ward, he had turned and looked up at his dad and declared, "One day, I'm gonna make Grandmum all better. I'm going to fix her and I'm going to fix Uncle Neville's mum and dad, and I'm gonna fix everybody." Harry had just chuckled at Teddy's naïve declaration and said that he was sure Teddy would be amazing.

Luckily, Andromeda was no longer in the Thickey ward. She had been moved to a more independent living facility a few years ago when she had improved enough to take care of herself. While she would never be the same as she was before, Teddy couldn't remember her any other way so he was thrilled with her improvement.

And while he no longer felt he had to fix her and was no longer so idealistic as to think he could fix everyone, he still couldn't wait to become a fully qualified healer. He had started training two weeks into August and loved every minute. Some of the older trainee's had warned him that he was in the "blissful ignorance" phase and soon would be overwhelmed and exhausted but he didn't care. He loved it.

"Where's Dana?" Teddy asked, referring to the third member of their cohort. He turned to face Bradford as he pulled on his trainee robes.

"Hicks sent her down to the archives to pick up some charts for us to review," Bradford responded with a grimace.

Teddy groaned. Reviewing charts was the worst part of training. It was tedious and always left him tired. Grimacing at the thought of coming up with something to eat for dinner after a long day of chart review, Teddy quickly decided to worm his way into a dinner invitation back home. Plus, he might as well check up on Lily and see how she was handling her first night as an only child. Give her a break from their mum and dad's constant attention.

**x-X-x**

A few hours later, while Teddy was preparing to pop into the house in Godric's Hollow in search of a hot meal, at Hogwarts, James and his fellow seventh year Gryffindors were eagerly awaiting the sorting and the feast to follow.

"Bloody hell, I'm starving!" Freddie complained. "Where are those bloody first-years?"

"You gorged yourself on sweets at lunch, Fred," Victoire pointed out. "How can you be starving?"

"We're growing boys, Vicky. We need our nutrients," Owen said, throwing his arm around Freddie, causing the red-head to blush slightly.

"Not many nutrients in those sweets. They'll make you grow alright. Right out of your pants," Sara said with a smile.

"Exactly, we haven't had anything good in _hours_," James whined. "We want food. _Real_ food."

"Shouldn't you be more excited for your brother's sorting?" Mandie asked.

"Nah. I'm more excited for a nice, big, juicy piece of chicken!"

"James," Victoire said with a hint of exasperation. "you're a git. I'm excited. My brother is getting sorted too. Plus there's Rose. I can't wait to see where they go."

"C'mon, Vic," Freddie said. "Not that much suspense. With the exception of Molly, every Weasley in two generations has been in Gryffindor. And frankly, since she is Uncle Percy's daughter and I'm really not sure how he was in Gryffindor and not Ravenclaw, I wasn't even surprised that Molly ended up a Raven."

"Well, I think you guys are terrible," Mandie said. "I was excited when my brothers got sorted last year. Even if they did end up in Hufflepuff," she added with a humorous glint in her eye.

"Nothing wrong with Hufflepuff," Sara said in her usual, straightforward manner. "Professor Longbottom's wife was in Hufflepuff and she's great."

"Hey, I love Aunt Hannah as much as anybody else but – "

James went silent as the doors to the Great Hall banged open, revealing a slightly beleaguered group of eleven years olds. Neville Longbottom led the group into the hall and to a stool in the front with a raggedy hat on it.

"Class looks smaller again," Mandie observed quietly.

"Thank Merlin," James agreed. Their seventh year class was the largest anyone could remember ever having attended Hogwarts, likely a result of the baby boom which followed the end of the Second Wizarding War, but it had put a strain on the school. Especially the Hufflepuff dorms, which seemed to have taken in the largest portion of the class. Since then, though, each class had gotten just a little bit smaller and they were finally closing in on what was considered a normal size for a Hogwarts class.

The hall was hushed as everyone, including the curious first years, stared at the hat. Suddenly, a tear in the brim opened and the hat began to sing.

_ I'm old and I'm ratty, torn and tatty  
__But I'm the most impressive hat you ever will meet  
__Oh, you may not think I'm smart  
__But I've got brains right from the start  
__Back when this school was shiny and new  
__The founders four sought to ensure  
__A way to cull the students best  
__And so they passed the task to a hat  
__To sort you into houses four  
__I'll look inside your head and see  
__Are you brave like Good Old Gryffindor  
__Or cunning and driven like Sly Slytherin  
__Maybe you are wise like Rapt Ravenclaw  
__Or loyal and true like Honorable Hufflepuff  
__You'll fit with one or maybe two  
__But it's up to me on where you'll be  
__Hogwarts is one but we divide up for fun  
__So put me on and we will see  
__I'll sort you best, among the rest  
__Come up and place me on your head  
__And I'll place you where you'll thrive!_

As the hat finished, the students clapped politely as Professor Longbottom held out a piece of parchment and cleared his throat.

"When I call your name, please come up and I will place the Sorting Hat on your head. When it announces your house, please join your fellow housemates at your table. Calvin Abbott."

A small, round-faced boy separated himself from the crowd and bounded up to the stool. A few seconds later, the hat announced, "Hufflepuff!"

Keeping an ear out for any new Gryffindors, James stopped paying attention to the sorting and turned back to his group of friends. "Same song as last year. I think the hat has gotten boring in its old age."

"I know. It's a hat. What else does it have to do all year? Least it can do is give us a new song every September," Freddie said with a grin.

"Maybe it spends all its time talking with the portraits in McGonagall's office. Has to be more interesting than spending 12 months creating a song," Mandie suggested.

"Or maybe it helps McGonagall come up with all kinds of punishments for the students. I mean, it sits there on a shelf in her office all year long and has for eternity," Owen said. "I bet it has seen every possible infraction that a student could possibly come up with."

"Ohooo!" James whispered excitedly. "I think I just heard a challenge."

"That'd be a great way to go out with a bang. A totally original way to break the rules," Freddie agreed excitedly.

"No way," Sara whispered. "You're dad pretty much came up with the most unique collection of ways to break the rules, James."

"Yeah," Victoire said, "and any that he didn't come up with, your and Teddy's grandfather and dad or your dads, Fred, pretty much took care of. And as for going out with a bang, I think your dads hold the record on that, Fred. Fireworks display and flying out on broomsticks before the year was over. I heard they even had Peeves impressed. Now, all of you shut up. I think your brother's up next, James."

Sure enough, a tall, skinny girl was just bounding over to the Slytherin table when Professor Longbottom announced, "Albus Potter!"

The short, dark haired Potter tentatively approached the stool and Neville smiled down at him before dropping the hat on his head. Everyone stared at the boy as the seconds ticked by. After what seemed like forever to the hungry hall, the hat yelled, "GRYFFINDOR!" and a very relieved looking Albus bounded towards the far table that had gone up in cheers at gaining the newest Potter.

A big smile on his face, James leaned around his friends to call down the table.

"Yo, Albus. What took so long?"

Albus grinned back. "Said it didn't know where to put me. Said I was just like dad that way."

"Hmph," James grunted before returning to his friends as they watched the group of first years get smaller and smaller until it was just Rose and Lois left.

"Lois Weasley!"

Victoire's brother walked calmly up to the stool and sat down, allowing the professor to set the hat on his head. It was only a few seconds before the hat announced, "RAVENCLAW!"

"Should have seen that one coming," Victoire said with a smile as Lois happily made his way over to join their other cousin at the Ravenclaw table. She turned around and flashed two thumbs up to her younger brother, earning a bright smile from the young boy. "Always has his nose in a book. Sometimes I think he's worse than Aunt Hermione."

"Rose Weasley!"

Rose practically bounced all the way to the stool, in contrast to the hesitancy of Albus and the collectiveness of Lois, and when the hat touched her head, Neville had barely released it by time it yelled out, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Fred and James gave each other an excited high five and gaining the latest Weasley before Fred declared, "Well, I guess we have two deserters now," which earned him a glare from Victoire.

"Molly and Lois aren't deserters. They are just a little different. Nothing wrong with that."

"Geez, Vic, calm down. I didn't mean it that way."

"Well, personally," Owen said, smiling, "I don't care how you meant it. I just want some food!"

That earned a grin from the whole table as they impatiently waited for McGonagall to declare the food served.

Sure enough, a few moments later McGonagall stood. "I know you all are hungry so I will save my announcements until after the feast. Enjoy." As she sat back down, the tables groaned under the massive weight of the magically appearing food, earning a cheer from several of the older students across the hall and a few indulgent smiles from the head table.

At the Gryffindor table, James, Freddie, and Owen had already dug in, quickly gorging themselves on food and earning disgusted looks from Victoire, Mandie, and Sara. The girls exchanged resigned looks, knowing after six years as friends that you simply didn't get between the boys and food.


	3. Chapter 2: A Startling Revelation

**A/N: Phew! Next chapter is here. And now things will really get moving in the plotline. **

**Once again, if you don't understand something, check out the prequel to this story, The Unexpected Seventh Year. And I don't know when the next chapter will be up. If it becomes a major part of my procrastination, then it could be soon but I have some major things to finish for my dissertation and my other research projects so it could be awhile.**

**Thanks! Review and let me know how this one is going. Nobody said anything after the last chapter and this story is a bit different than my previous so I'd love to hear what you think.**

* * *

**Chapter 2**

**A Startling Revelation**

**x-X-x**

The rest of September passed quickly for Teddy. Before he knew it, Victoire had already been back in school for four whole weeks, meaning the first Hogsmeade weekend was just over a week away. He couldn't wait.

However, he still hadn't gotten the day off yet.

As Teddy pushed open the door to the Trainee Room at St. Mungo's on Friday morning, he was mentally running through the possible ways to get the following Saturday off. He could pull the Potter card but if it got back to his parents, there would be hell to pay. He could try calling in sick but Hicks would ream him a new one and he would be on chart-duty for the foreseeable future if Hicks caught him. He could always appeal to Hicks's kindness. It had worked for the trip to King's Cross. Maybe he would get lucky twice.

Slightly early, Teddy found himself alone in the Trainee Room as he changed into his trainee robes. However, his isolation did not last long. Hearing the door open, Teddy looked up to find Hicks walking into the room, arms full of a pile of books.

"Excellent," the stocky witch said as she spotted Teddy. "Lupin, I need you to run down to the records room. Tell the clerk you are looking for the charts in the trainee file on poisons and antidotes."

Suppressing a groan, Teddy pasted a respectable look on his face before turning around. "Of course, ma'am. I'll just run and get those now." Teddy quickly left the room and headed towards the stairs down to the records room.

By time he returned with a teetering pile of files, Dana and Bradford were already seated around a table in the corner of the room nearest to Hicks's desk.

"Good, you're back. Just drop those files in the center of the desk, Lupin," Hicks said, gesturing to the table. Flashing an apologetic look to his two fellow trainees, Teddy dropped the pile onto the table with a soft thud.

"Right," Hicks said, looking up from her desk where she had spread out the books Teddy had seen her carrying earlier. "We are going to get right down to business. Lupin has brought up the latest charts on potions and antidotes. And I don't want to hear any groaning. You three need to become experts on these charts. We have decided on a date for your first exam and that only leaves you with a week to learn this and I expect you each to excel. I won't accept anything else. I have brought up several references on potions and their antidotes so we can work through the intricacies of each of these cases. You need to know the physiology of the response, the method of identifying the reacting potion ingredients, all potential side reactions, and the method for brewing an antidote. These will all be topics on the exam next Saturday."

"No," Teddy hissed when the date of the exam penetrated his brain.

"A problem, Lupin?"

Teddy grimaced when he realized he had actually said that out loud. "Well, ma'am, it's just that next Saturday is Hogsmeade weekend at Hogwarts."

"In case you didn't notice, Lupin, this isn't Hogwarts and we have no Hogsmeade weekends."

"I know. It's just my girlfriend is a student there and I haven't seen her since she got on the train."

"She will simply have to survive your absence, Lupin. We will not be changing the exam to accommodate your love life. Now, if that is all, take a chart. You each have ten minutes to review the details of the file before you will present a case report." Hicks turned back to her desk, leaving the trainee's to their work.

"Bummer, mate," Bradford whispered as they each reached into the pile to pick a chart.

Teddy smiled sadly in agreement. He really wasn't looking forward to writing Victoire that night to tell her he wouldn't be in Hogsmeade. After another second or two of self-pity, Teddy sighed and pushed the issue from his mind. He needed to concentrate or Hicks would tear him apart during the case report.

**x-X-x**

Back at Hogwarts, the last Friday in September was not getting off to any better start.

"Bout time, Vic," Sara said as Victoire finally appeared at the breakfast table, just ten minutes before the seventh year Gryffindors had to be in Charms. "I was afraid you were going to miss class."

"I don't know what's wrong with me lately. I'm exhausted. Maybe I'm just overdoing it," Victoire answered, dropping her head onto her arms on the table. "What was I thinking, going for eight N.E.W.T.s?"

"That you were an ambitious over-achiever who strives to make their cousins look bad?" Freddie suggested in between shoveling bites of food into his mouth.

After smacking Fred since Victoire couldn't reach him herself, Mandie looked at Victoire with concern, touching the back of her hand against the blonde's forehead. "You don't have a fever so I don't think you're getting sick. And I get what you're saying about the stress. I'm taking one less than you and I am overwhelmed. Hopefully you can get some sleep this weekend."

"I don't know," Victoire answered. "I have two books to read for History and another for Ancient Runes, plus a massive assignment for Arithmancy and our Transfiguration essay. And that is all before we go to Charms and Potions this morning. I can't imagine escaping Malfoy without a weekend assignment."

"Geez, Vic, you make me exhausted just thinking about it," Owen muttered.

"At least you get to see Teddy next weekend. Just keep looking forward to that," Mandie said.

"Assuming I don't die under a pile of books," Victoire responded with a tired grin.

"Well, if you aren't dead yet, then you better get moving," Sara said as she pushed back from the table. "If we don't leave now, we're going to be late to Charms." The boys quickly shoveled in the last few bites on their plates before everyone stood, gathering up their book bags in a flurry of activity.

"Wait," James said, bringing the rustling to a stop, "you didn't eat anything, Victoire. You really should eat something."

Mandie threw a slightly confused look at the dark-haired boy. "Sometimes you are very considerate James. So why are such a git most the time? I just don't get it." Shaking her head slightly, she turned to Victoire. "He's right though. You should grab something to eat while we walk."

Victoire looked over the food on the table and found that none of it looked even slightly appetizing. "Eh, no thanks. I'm good."

"If you're sure…" James said hesitantly as they all began moving towards the door.

"I'm sure," Victoire said without looking at the food.

The group of Gryffindors headed up the stairs to the Charms classroom. Inside, they were greeted by the short Professor Flitwick who was still teaching the subject. They headed to their seats off to the side of the classroom and pulled out their books. Within a few minutes, Flitwick was lecturing them on an array of complex household charms which they had been covering for several days now.

Gazing out the window, Victoire found herself zoning out as Flitwick droned on. The warm classroom and the soothing tones of the professor's voice made her eyelids begin to drop. Jerking up and shaking her head, she struggled to stay awake. She really didn't understand why she was so tired. Her workload last year was just as bad. It didn't make sense. Maybe if she just rested her eyes for a minute. Maybe she could just listen to Flitwick.

"Vic," James said gently as he shook his cousin's shoulders. "Wake up, Vic. Class is over. You don't want to be late for potions. Come on, Vicky, wakey wakey."

Slowly, Victoire's blue eyes opened up. As she came to awareness, Fred leaned around James and smiled down at the sleepy girl. "Morning, sleeping beauty."

"Ugh," Victoire groaned at she peeled her cheek off her charms textbook, "I can't believe I fell asleep again."

"Maybe you should go see Pomfrey," Sara suggested.

"I'm sure I'm just over worked. Maybe I'll take a nap after dinner instead of getting straight to work."

The rest of the day passed in similar fashion, with Victoire zoning out during lectures and jerking herself awake but she manage to avoid falling asleep on her desk – a good thing considering they were brewing in potions and she would likely have ended up face first in a shrinking solution.

By the time Freddie separated from his friends after lunch while they headed to class and he headed back to the common room for his free period, he had really started to worry about Victoire.

Two hours later, the portrait opened and he smiled as Owen crawled through the hole. When Owen grinned back at him, he felt his face heat up and turned back to look at the fire. A moment later, he felt Owen throw himself down on the other end of the couch.

"Victoire couldn't stay awake in Defense," Owen informed Fred. "I caught her sleeping twice, one time with drool dripping down her chin. It was hilarious!"

"Merlin, I'm sorry I missed that. Victoire with drool on her face. Priceless." Fred cleared his throat. "But I'm worried about her. She's been exhausted all week and then today she can't even keep her eyes open."

"I know, mate. But hopefully a little sleep this weekend will make it better.

"Hopefully," Freddie agreed doubtfully. Together, the two boys lapsed into silence as the worried about their friend.

**x-X-x**

That night, Teddy, tired and desperately trying to think of an way to tell Victoire he wouldn't be there next weekend, apparated onto the front steps of his childhood home. As he entered the house, his entire body relaxed. Before he had even been in the house a minute, a red-haired ball of energy burst into his path. Instinctively throwing his arms out, Teddy caught the young girl just before she could crash into him.

"Woah, Lils, slow down."

As Lily realized who had grabbed her, her eyes lit up. "Teddy!" she squealed before throwing her arms around his waist. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I heard there was a birthday girl around here," Teddy said, causing Lily's smile to widen even further.

"That's me! Three more days!"

"I can't believe you are going to be ten, squirt."

"Yeah, but I still can't go to Hogwarts for a whole other year," Lily said with a frown. "Stupid October birthdays."

"Don't pout, squirt. It just means you'll be the one of the oldest in your class. You'll be brilliant, like Aunt Hermione."

"I guess."

"Plus, I bet you are spoiled rotten now that you are here all by yourself."

Lily smiled secretively. "Maybe," she drawled out. "Mum did make my absolute favorite biscuits yesterday, all for me."

"Hey! Does that mean I can't have one?"

"Maybe if you are really nice."

"I'll show you nice, squirt," Teddy said as he started to tickle her.

"Fine! Fine!" Lily said, giggling madly. "I'll share. I promise!"

"That's more like it. Now, where are mum and dad? I wanted to see if I could bum some dinner."

"Down in the kitchen. They told me to go clean my room or something. I think they wanted me to leave."

"Wonder why."

"Dunno. Maybe they wanted to get all kissy and that's gross."

Teddy laughed. "Maybe," he agreed. "Well you should run and clean your room, Lils. I'm going to go break up mum and dad, keep the kissing to a minimum."

"Kay," Lily said as she bounded away

Teddy smiled to himself at Lily's energy before headed towards the back of the house where the kitchen was. As he approached, the door was open and Harry and Ginny's voices floated quietly out into the hall.

"Do you think we should tell Teddy?"

At the sound of his name, Teddy slowed and silently approached the door. For a split second, he wrestled with the idea of eavesdropping on his parents but quickly quashed it when he heard Harry's next words.

"I don't know, Gin. It's Yaxley. You know what he did. And it's going to come out. I'm actually more worried about keeping this from Dromeda. I don't want to set her back. She has been getting so much better lately."

"Are the Aurors going to announce anything."

"It's up to me. Kingsley said he wouldn't use his position as minister to override my decision."

"What are you thinking?"

"Well, on the one hand, he escaped Azkaban. The only prisoner since Sirius to do it. I know we don't use dementors anymore but it is still a feat to escape that godforsaken island. The public could help us catch him. But on the other hand, there haven't been any indications that he is any threat to the public. He has been generally cooperative since we caught him and his only target has been me. And if I keep it quiet, then he doesn't get a reaction from me, which could help us catch him."

"Why don't you keep it quiet for a while and then, if you need to, you can release it to the public?"

"That's what I'm leaning towards. But that still doesn't answer the Teddy question. Or the rest of the kids."

"Do you think he will go after them?"

"He already went after Teddy to get to me, Ginny. Why wouldn't he go after James or Albus or Lily? Or even Teddy again?"

"Ted's not a toddler anymore, though. He is an excellent wizard. And Yaxley is without a wand after nearly two decades in prison. Going after Teddy would be stupid, Harry, and I never saw Yaxley as stupid."

"Insane, maybe, but definitely not stupid," Harry agreed.

"Right. So Teddy should be safe."

"So should James and Albus. I can't imagine Yaxley would attack Hogwarts. Even without Dumbledore, that castle is a formidable fortress and the professors can protect the students."

"Which just leaves Lily. And we can keep her safe. Plus she is still too young. She's not even ten til next week. I don't want our kids to grow up as fast as we did. I want her to get her childhood," Ginny said softly. "I don't want our children looking over their shoulders for danger at every corner."

"Neither do I, Gin. I don't want them to have that life."

Teddy, his mind racing with what he had overheard, crept away from the door. Yaxley had escaped. The one that had left his grandmother in St. Mungo's for years. The one that had kidnapped him when he was a baby._ He was free._ Teddy stopped short. _And Harry wasn't going to tell me! Or any of us! I deserved to know. It was my life he had changed the most!_

Teddy silently walked back down the hall, dropping down onto the bottom step. After a few moments to calm himself, Teddy sat up resolutely. If Harry wasn't going to tell him and his siblings, then Teddy would take it into his own hand. He agreed that Lily was too young. Albus too, really. But James deserved to know so that he could keep himself on guard, especially while he was in Hogsmeade, away from the protection of the school.

Heading up to his childhood room, Teddy pulled a quill and some spare parchment out of the desk he shared with James when they were younger and set about to writing his brother a letter. His mind temporarily distracted from his situation with Victoire, he frantically wrote out all that he had heard and worked out about Yaxley. If he hurried, he could get it off and James would get it at breakfast in the morning.


End file.
